Along with the increasing use of, and interest in flying drone technology, there is an increasing demand for alternative technology solutions. For example, flight-related data for a vast majority of aircraft are typically recorded on a flight recorder (or black box) device. However, these flight recorder devices (as well as the additional sensors needed to provide the input necessary for the device) tend to add weight to the aircraft. Although this is not problematic for most aircraft, this is a critical issue for smaller aircraft, such as drones, that are able to carry less weight to begin with.
Additionally, data necessary for a thorough analysis of a drone flight may be scattered across multiple sources and may not be readily accessible. A technician attempting to discern the cause of an accident or malfunction is often not presented with the whole picture.